Aaron Donald, Two More Pitt Greats Make 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Pitt football continues to pump out Hall of Fame players whether that’s on the professional level or college level and Aaron Donald figures to be the next one entering the College Football Hall of Fame.

The ballot for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class was released Monday morning and it featured 79 player names and nine coaches from the FBS level, including three former Pitt players.

Pitt greats Donald, Matt Cavanaugh and Craig “Ironhead” Heyward were all listed on the 2026 ballot.

Donald headlines the class as one of the best defensive tackles to play the game. He recently was named to the 2025 Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame class.

The WPIAL and Penn Hills product starred at Pitt from 2010-13. He was a Unanimous First Team All-American as a senior after leading the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss, along with 11 sacks and four forced fumbles. He also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award.

Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nov. 10, 2019. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

During the 2014 NFL Draft, Donald was selected with the 13th overall pick in the first round by the Los Angeles Rams. In L.A., Donald appeared in two Super Bowls, including a Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2021 season. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, becoming only the third player to do so. He retired in 2024 as many believe he will be a unanimous selection into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he’s eligible in 2029.

Cavanaugh was Pitt’s starting quarterback in 1976, when they went undefeated and won the national championship. He was also the MVP of the 1977 Sugar Bowl. Cavanaugh was a 1977 All-American and finished with 3,378 career passing yards.

The Youngstown, Ohio native played in the NFL for 15 seasons, and has served as a coach for 27 years. He rejoined Pitt as a tight ends coach from 1992-93 and again as offensive coordinator from 2005-08. He most recently served as senior offensive assistant for the Washington Redskins in 2019.

Heyward racked up over 3,000 yards in three seasons with the Panthers from 1985-87. In his junior season, the bruising runner rushed for 1,791 yards and 12 touchdowns and was an All-American. He was drafted in the first round by the New Orleans Saints and had 4,301 yards and 30 touchdowns in his 11-year pro career. Sadly, Heyward passed away at age 39 in 2006 after a battle with cancer.

Legendary wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald became the 20th Pitt player to enter when he was inducted into the National Football Foundation (NFF) College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.